Do · Daily anchor · 1 minute, tonight
The Shema — six words, tonight
It’s called the Shema (sheh-MAH), and it’s where many people start.
Six Hebrew words:
Shema Yisrael, Ado-nai Elo-heinu, Ado-nai Echad.
“Hear, O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One.”
The How
- Tonight, before you sleep, read the line slowly — Hebrew or English; the English is enough to begin.
- A widespread custom: cover your eyes with your right hand as you say it, so nothing distracts you from the words.
- Let it be the last thing on your mind today. That’s it — you’ve done something Jews have done for three thousand years.
The Light
This is the foundation of Judaism in one sentence: there is one G-d, and you’re in a relationship with that Oneness. Jews say these words to open and close every day — and they’ve been the words on Jewish lips in the most profound moments of our history, the best and the hardest alike.
Saying them tonight, you join every one of those voices. Six words is the whole membership ceremony — and you’ve been a member all along.